The Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe Schools Initiative has initiated an audit of all financial resources allocated to the program, encompassing donor aid, international grants, and federal budget allocations. Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the committee chairman, confirmed the probe during an opening session in Abuja, emphasizing that the primary objective is to uphold government transparency.
Kalu noted that due to the involvement of national security and the vulnerability of educational facilities, certain discussions will occur in private. He clarified that the oversight is not focused on individuals, but rather on the principle of government continuity, asserting that the state must account for every kobo regardless of when funds were disbursed. He further reminded executive officials that they are required to answer to the National Assembly.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, informed the committee that many of the reviewed expenditures took place years before his tenure. He noted that the Safe Schools Initiative has been relocated from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Education, where a dedicated department is now managing operations. Alausa highlighted the current administration’s focus on school safety, which involves coordination with various security agencies to implement a broader national framework that includes infrastructure improvements like fencing and monitoring systems.
Senators Sahabi Yau and Anthony Ani reinforced that the committee’s work is a necessary constitutional exercise intended to ensure the program achieves its intended goals, rather than an attempt to target specific persons.
